5 Ways to Avoid Being Overwhelmed at Work

You’ve likely experienced it—sitting at your desk with so much work to do, that you can’t figure out how to get anything done at all. You don’t know where to start, the work keeps piling on, and you toy with the idea of quitting—just so it can all go away. This doesn’t have to be your work life.

Yes, there may constantly be tons to do, but you don’t have to feel overwhelmed while doing it. It’s all a matter of planning, timing, and having realistic expectations.

BlackEnterprise.com offers help below on avoiding drowning while swimming in a never-ending sea of work.

1. Create a List

Not only does a list allow you to organize your tasks and assess your workload, but you also feel a sense of accomplishment each time you scratch off a list item. Start your week or your morning jotting everything down that you expect to accomplish by the day or week’s end. Get through as much as you can. Don’t be disappointed if you must roll a task to the next day. Look over the tasks you successfully completed and the time it took to do so, then adjust your expectations accordingly.

2. Frontload Your Workload

Start your week off knocking weighty tasks out of the park. Allow yourself to find a flow and set the tone for productivity early on. By the time Wednesday hits, you’ll be grooving and ready to take on whatever is next.

3. Don’t Overcommit

Sure, you think you can and, in some cases, may even want to do everything—but you can’t. Be realistic with what you can handle, given deadlines. Think quality over quantity. It would behoove you to master a few tasks, as opposed to being the jack of many.

4. Ask for Assistance When Needed

Don’t be afraid to speak up. There is much more respectability in stating what you may not be able to complete upfront, instead of owning up to incompletion later.

5. Use Time Wisely

Be realistic with yourself about why you’re having trouble governing your workload. Is there too much to do in too little time, or are you taking too much time to do too little? Block all distractions. Reserve social media for lunchtime, breaks, or as a treat for a task completed. Give yourself grind hours and notify coworkers of this “focus time,” so that you may remain undistracted.